If there’s one thing that I love about Jesus, it’s the fact that He is no respecter of persons. He is not impressed by your looks, your popularity, your money, your likes on Instagram, or even your church involvement. He is impressed by the fruit that you display as you abide in Him. He is not reserved for the elite. He invites ALL to His table with open arms and an open heart.
Jesus took a lot of insults from hanging around with “tax collectors and sinners”. In Matthew 9:10-13 it says, “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus offered Himself for all; especially those who may have felt overlooked, insignificant, or “too far gone”. Jesus chose to eat with sinners because they needed to know that repentance and forgiveness were still available to them. Jesus did this because Jesus was not oblivious. Jesus was not so consumed with His calling, with His own selfish agenda, that He was blind to those around Him. He saw them. And He invited them in.
Repentance and forgiveness are still available to all.
This Christmas, what if you opened your home, your heart, to someone else? What if you made yourself available to someone who might otherwise be alone this Christmas?
Maybe you will pass someone this Christmas who has lost a parent or a child way too soon. Maybe God will cross your path with someone who is single and lonely. Or maybe someone who is divorced and has to spend the holidays away from their children, because it’s not their year to have the kids. Friends, they are all around us.
May we not forget that we were invited to eat with Jesus. We were invited to His table. There, we found belonging, acceptance and enormous, overwhelming love. And may we take from what was freely given us and imitate that in our lives this Christmas season.
You are loved,
Jena
Make your plans now to join us for the LOVE study beginning in January!!! Gather you up a small group and jump in with us! It’s gonna be fun!!! Get your books and DVDs here: https://www.jenaforehand.com/shop?page=2